Turkey announces full switch to e-visas; entry and exit take just 10 minutes

▲ The Turkish government announced the other day that entry visas will be fully changed to electronic visas. The image above shows Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. (Photo / taken from Wikipedia)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

There’s a new regulation for traveling to Turkey recently. The Turkish government recently announced that the visa on arrival, which was originally scheduled to be available from April this year upon entering Turkey, will be fully replaced by an electronic visa (E-visa), and payment for the application fee can only be made using a credit card or debit card.

Since mid-May last year (2013), the Turkish government has allowed Taiwanese citizens to apply for an e-visa allowing a 30-day stay, but entry is only permitted through “Esenboğa Airport” in the capital Ankara, “Atatürk Airport” and “Sabiha Gökçen Airport” in Istanbul.

In addition, the visa is valid for 90 days and allows multiple entries during that period. Although the fee remains unchanged at 10 euros (approximately NT$500), cash payments are no longer accepted, and only Visa, Mastercard, or debit card payments are allowed.

Turkey stated that the e-visa will be emailed to the applicant after successful application. Travelers can download and print it, then present it to customs officers for inspection upon entry and exit. The entire process takes less than 10 minutes, and the e-visa must also be carried during the trip within the country. At the same time, Turkey also reminds the public that they should apply directly viathe official E-visa websiteto apply. Applying through other unauthorized websites may incur additional fees.